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Havasu Refugewinter wildlife

Wildlife refuge

At Havasu National Wildlife Refuge, wintering waterfowl: the winter months from December through February are the best season, per the Fish and Wildlife Service. Its usual window for this year has passed.

Updated

Sources for this timing ↓
Local timing
From December through February
General timing for this place: not a peak date, and not a forecast.

About Havasu Refuge

What it is
A wildlife refuge in Arizona
A little history
Franklin D. Roosevelt established it by executive order in 1941, as Havasu Lake National Wildlife Refuge, mainly for migratory birds.
What you'll see
Wintering ducks and snow geese · usual peak Dec–Feb
Before you go
Is all of Topock Marsh open in winter? No: the closed portion of Topock Marsh is closed to all access, fishing included, from October 1 until the end of the state waterfowl season; signs and buoys mark it.
Sources (2)

Your guide to the area

Best spots and nearby places
  • Winter
Places on this map, as a list
Map: approximate positions; state lines US Census; spot positions agency pages.

Where to watch

Worth the drive

Straight-line miles; roads are longer

The year at Havasu Refuge

  • Nesting season: courtship, nest building and youngspring
  • Recently fledged birdssummer
  • Wintering waterfowl: northern pintail, teal and snow geeseDecember through February

Questions people ask

When is the best time to see wildlife at Havasu National Wildlife Refuge?

Wintering waterfowl: the winter months from December through February are the best season, per the Fish and Wildlife Service: from December through February. That's general timing for this place, not a peak date or a forecast.

Is it wildlife season at Havasu National Wildlife Refuge right now?

Not now: its usual winter wildlife window for this year has passed. Next time: from December through February, local timing.

Which birds winter at Havasu?

Northern pintail, teal and snow geese among the waterfowl; December through February is the best season to spot them.Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Birding at Havasu National Wildlife Refuge ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Is all of Topock Marsh open in winter?

No: the closed portion of Topock Marsh is closed to all access, fishing included, from October 1 until the end of the state waterfowl season; signs and buoys mark it.Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Havasu National Wildlife Refuge ↗ (opens in a new tab)

What should I wear?

Layers: winter mornings call for bundling up, and you'll peel layers off as the day warms.Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Birding at Havasu National Wildlife Refuge ↗ (opens in a new tab)

How old is the refuge?

Franklin D. Roosevelt established it by executive order in 1941, as Havasu Lake National Wildlife Refuge, mainly for migratory birds.Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Havasu National Wildlife Refuge ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Where are the best spots in Havasu National Wildlife Refuge?

Bermuda Grass Tower: an observation tower in the refuge's official facility list; Topock Gorge: by boat through one of the last natural stretches of the lower Colorado River, 20 miles long.

What is Havasu National Wildlife Refuge like through the year?

Wintering waterfowl: northern pintail, teal and snow geese (Dec–Feb), Nesting season: courtship, nest building and young (Mar–May) and Recently fledged birds (Jun–Aug).

How we know · Sources (5)

How we know

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Birding at Havasu National Wildlife Refuge (opens in a new tab) (Oct 2) · U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Havasu National Wildlife Refuge (opens in a new tab) (Oct 2) · U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Havasu National Wildlife Refuge (opens in a new tab) (Oct 2) · U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bermuda Grass Tower (opens in a new tab) (Oct 2) · U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Havasu National Wildlife Refuge (opens in a new tab) (Oct 2)

All our sources and how we use them →